Pleasure-railway.



J. A. MILLER.

PLEASURE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JAN,19,1912.

1,037,958, Patented Sept. 10,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. A. MILLER.

PLEASURE RAILWAY.

APPLIGATION FILED JANJE), 1912.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. MILLER, 01 HOMEWOOE ILLINOIS.

PLnAsUnE-mnwhr'. r 1,037,958. Specification of Letters Patent-l PatentedSeptdfl, 1 912, Application filed January 19, 1912. Serial No. 672,171,To all coho-m1! may concern: The body of the car shovvn comprises Be itknown-that I, JOHN A. Minus, residing at Homewood, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois,'have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pleasule- Railways, of which the following is a full, clear,- andprecise specification.

My invention relates: to pleasurerailways, and contemplates improvedconstruction find operation for brake mechanismfor the ars.- Among theimportant objects of the invention are to provide improved brake shoeson the cars and improved brake beams disposed at intervals along thetrack structure,

so that a car may be stopped at variouspoints along its route shouldaccidents, for

example, occur; to provide brake mechanisms which can be both positivelyand automat cally controlled;- to' provide such oontrolfor the brakebeams that the force of gravity will tend to hold them in operativeposition; and toprovide releasable means for some of the brake beams tonor: mally resist the force of gravity and to hold the beam ininoperative positiomand to provide means controllable from a distancefor trippi the releasing means to allow the force 2% gravity to operateto set the brake beams for operation; to provide suchconstruction andcodperation of the brake mechanisms on the cars and road-bed that theweight of the car'will be instrumental ineffecting braking relations andso that the braking efi'ort will be directly proportional to the weightof the car; to provide such construction of the brake mechanism parts onthe car androad-bed that the car brake shoes can readily centerthemselves on the brake beams and in general to provide more eflicient,more reliable and more safe brakin mechanism for pleasure railways.

y invention will be :tu-lly understood from the accompanying drawingsshowing a preferred arrangement, and in these drawingsFigure I is a sideelevational View of a car and track structure, together with one form ofbraking mechanism, Fig. 2 is a sectional view looking from plane 22,Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the upper part of the trackstructure with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate theoperation of brake members supported on the structure, and Fig. 4 showsa modified form of brake shoe and brake beam construction. 5

. side beams 5 and 6 connectedtogether by cross beams 7 and the frontand end walls- 8 and 9. Engaging the tops of the side 5 beams 5 and 6and extending laterally t from. are the running boards 10 and 11; Thebody also supports a number of seats S and a 'dash-board structure D. Atthe opposite sides of the car body are front and 5 rear wheel journalframes 12 and-13 secured to the side beams and below the run-ningboards,the frames pivoting. 'axles 15 of wheels: 16 whichs'upport'the car. y

In the track supporting structure shown '70 each of the beats comprisesthe upright I side beams 18 connected together utthetofi by a pair ofcross beamsli), Set out alga 1 on these cross beams and, securely,boltedf thereto are sleepers, 20, ties 21 being. Suzi-.75 pended atintervals from the sleeper beams for supporting the rail structures, Therail structures are preferably of- L-shaped cross section, ch comprisinga base part 22,!61. supporting a flat rail 23 for the car wheels; so,beams 24 being secured on the base portions along the inner edge thereofto form guarh for limiting the lateral playv of the car." The floor 25oi the car isnsupported from the cross beams 7, and secured to theunderside of the floor adjacent each of the car wheels is a bearingbracket 26 for journalin-g the guard roller 27 for eng ing flat rails 28secured to the inner faces 0 the base portions and the guard beams 24 ofthe track structure Q Coming now to the brake mechanism, a; brake shoestructure 31 secured to the. under side of the car floor adjacent eachof the guardwheel bearing frames, the brake; shoe structures shown'in.Fig. 1 and 2 b67585 ing in the form of of V-shaped transverse sectionwhose are of inverted plow shape. For frictions-11y receiving thesebrake shoes brakebeams 32 arcjpro vided at suitable points along thestructure, and in the arrangement sli'ov'th 1n Figs. 1 and 2, eachbrakebeam is carriedat the upper ends of levers 33 pivoted at in termedxatepoints to suitable casti-ngs 34." bolted to the ties of the tracksupporting structure, the lower ends-of the lovers p11- oting to. anactuating bar 35 adapted to move longitudinally by a. main lever 36 Ipivotedat its lower end to and piv- 'oted at an intermediate point tothe track supporting structure. Each brake beam has a V-shapedlongitudinal groove 37, and 1f loo the beams are of wood the sides ofthe grooves are preferably faced with sheethome platform are preferablycontinuously raised toassure stopping of the car at'this point, whilethe brake beamsat other points along the track are normally down butready to be quickly raised by actuation of levers at the-home plat-formor elsewhere to stop the cars in case of emergency or accident. 4 a Assoon as the brake shoes of a car enter brake beams, the frictionalengagement will cause the brake beams to swingupwardly on theirsupporting levers to be thus automatically forced into close engagementwith. the brake shoes, the brakeshoes then supporting considerableweight of the car.- Thus." the wei ht of the car will automaticallyassist in o braking operation, and the frictional engagement andconsequently the braking, will be directly proportional to the weight ofthe car. Longitudinal movement of the, brake beams when engaged by thebrake shoes .will-be limited by the abutment bf the levers 33 againstthe ties when the levers are vertical and thebrake beams intheir-"uppermost position. The entire track structure is more or lessspringy and yielding, and the engagement of the 'brake shoes with thebrake beams will be cushioned: After a car has been stopped, theattendant by swinging the proper main lever 36, can withdraw the brakebeams away from t hebrake shoes.-

The various brake beams can be actuated in much the same manner asswitches are actuated in steam railway systems, which levers can be allsituated at acomm'on point or canin the same manner as m Figs. 1 and 2,

be disposed along the track.

In Fig: 3 a somewhat'modified arrangement for brake beam control .isillustrated. Instead of pivoting the brake beam supportmg levers oncastings secured to the ties, as shown in Figs. 1" and 2, beams 39running parallel with the track are hung from the ties, preferably bymeans of bolts 40 passing through the ties. Inte al links 41 are pivotedat .their lower en to t hebeam 39 by blocks 42, and at th'eir upper endsare pivoted to brake beams 32 by, block's44. Weights -may be appliedinsuitable} manner w icli will tend normally to hold the brake beams inupper operative position. As shown, one

\ or more of the links 41 may have an extension 43 carrying at its lowerend a weight 46, which weights tend to hang down to keep the links 41 insubstantially vertical position'to hold the brake beams up. Pivoted-tothe beam 39 adjacent one of the weight bearing extensions 45 is abellcrank lever 47 having, its arm 47 slotted at its end to receive thepivot pin -48 at the end of,a'ctuating rod 49 extending toany suitablepoint to be pivoted to the lower end' ofa controlling lever 36 whichmaybe pivoted to .one of the sleepers 20. The other-arm 47" of thetripping lever is adapted to engage with the weight supporting arm. Atthe home station the'tripping link-will be in p'osition to allow theweight to hang down to cause the associated brak'e beams'to be held intheir-upper'braking position. At other points along the tracktheit'ripping levers have preferably been rotated by'their controllinglevers 36 to cause thearms .47 to swing the weight arms and to lock theminposition, so that the brake beams willibe down and out of the path ofthe car brake I shoes, as the brake beams at. intermediate 'pointsof thetrack'a're to be used only for emergency. If at any time it is desiredto.

brake a car along an intermediate point of the track, the correspondinglever 36 is ac tuated to rotate the corresponding trip le ve'rs awayfrom theweight arms, which then swing downwardly to carry the brakebeam. up into braking position. After a car' is stopped at anintermediate point it cannot proceed farther, as the weights "willalways tend to force the brake beams against the car brake shoes. Torelease the car the attendant need only actuate the main lever to swingthe tripping links against the weight arms, whereby the brake beams arelowered. Suitable means may of course be after actuation to release thebrake mechanisms. As shown in Fig.3, a notched segment 50 is mountedadjacent the levers 36 to becngaged by a detentpawl 51 controlled by vprovided to lock the main levers in position the grip.52 on thehandle ina well-known manner. The main lever rods '49 could of course connectdirectly with the-weight arms and in Fig. 1 the lever rods 45 could bemade of sufficient weight so that the tendency will be to swing thelinks 33 to vertical position to hold the brake beams up,

In Fig. 4 I have shown a'preferred ar- I rangement of brake shoe andbrake beam construction and arrangement, the brake shoes, instead -ofbeing V-sha d as m .Flgs'.

1 and 2, having thelongitu inal V-shaped slot 54-in their lower sides,and the. brake beams 32 having each a V-shaped' crown 55 for engagingiii-the brake shoe slots. Where the brake beams are of wood thesecrownsime: suit-N agosrwse tic-ally no force is required on the mamlevers except to move them from one position to theother to set thebrake beams, the entire track structure and extendin braking effort beincontrolled by the weight of the car and in direct proportion to such weiht. The wedging. engagement of they bra e shoes with the brake beams isalso more eifect-ive and efiicient than the mere; flat engagement inprior braking systems. and the entire brake surface is at all times;effective; In my arrangement the guard; rollers will keep the our wellcentered trans-g versely so that the brake shoes can engage: accuratelywith the brake beams. i

I do not of course desire to be limited to{ the precise arrangement,construction, oper ation and control disclosed, as changes andfmodifications are possible which would still. come within the scope ofmy invention, and I therefore claim the following:

1. In a pleasure railway system, the c0mbination of a track structurefor supporting cars, each car carrying a brake member, a brake membersupported from the track structure and means for causing engagement ofsaid brake members during runnin of a car over the track structure, one0% said brake members having a wedge-shaped end and the other rakemember havin a longitudinal slot for intimately receiving saidwedge-shaped end.

2. Inapleasure railway system, the combination of a track structure overwhich cars may run, a car having a brake shoe depending therefrom, abrake beam on the track structure pivoted thereto to be raised into thepath of the brake shoe of the traveling car, and means for raising suchbrake beams to frictionally receive the'brake shoe, the lower and upperends respectively of the brake shoe and brake beam being formed to enterinto wedging engagement with each other when said brake beam is raised.

3. In a pleasure railway system, the combination of'a track structurefor supporting cars, a ,brake shoe depending from each car, a brake beamon the track structure in the path of the brake shoe of a traveling car,

ars pivoted at their lower ends to the upwardly therefrom and pivoted tosaid rake beam, said bars being inclined toward the direction fromWhicha car is approaching whereby upon frictional engagement of thebrake 'bination bination o shoe with the brake beam the beam will beautomatically raised into firm frio'tiona'lengageinent with the brakeshoe to retard and to stop the car, said brake shoe and brake beam-being formed to'enter into wedging. engagement with each other whenbrought together.

4. In a pleasure railway system, the comof asupporting track forcara,each car having a brake shoe depending therefrom, a brake beam mountedon the cars, and gravity controlled mechanism tending to raise and tohold -amid-brain? beam in position to' frictionally receive {the brakeshoe ofa car attemptingto pass thercover.

5; In a pleasure rhilway systemsthe comf a track structure rdrssapgm'cars, each car having a brake shoe open track structure parallel withmiddieluw chedirection of travel of the brake sh'oeson the ing therefromtoward thetrack'structum, m brake beam on the track structure arellelwiththe patlroftravel ofthe'brake shoe on an approaching -car,'leverspivoted to the track structure below said braliebeam and pivoted attheir upper ends to said brake .beam whereby said brakefl-beam unay beraised and lowered u on swing ofztbe levers, and gravity contro ledmeans. tending ito swing said levers toward vertical position to holdthe brake beam upwardly .to .irictionally receive the brake shoe of theap-' proach'ing car.

6. In a pleasure railway system, the combination of a track structurefor supporting. cars, each car having a brake shoe depending therefromtoward the track structure, a brake beam on the track structure parallelwith the path f travel of the brake shoe on an approaching car, leverspivoted to-the track structure below said brake beam and pivoted attheir upper ends to said brake beam whereby said brake beam may beraised and lowered upon swing of the levers, gravity controlled meanstending to; swing said levers toward vertical position to hold the brakebeam upwardly to frictionally receive the brake-shoe of an approachingcar, and means for locking said levers in inclined position to retainthe beamin a position below the path of the brake shoes.

,7. In a pleasure railway system, the combination of a track structurefor sup ortin cars, each car having a brake shoe epen ing therefromtoward the track structure a brake beam on the track structure parallelwith'the path of travel of the brake shoe on an approaching car, leversivoted .to the track structure below said bra ebeam whereby said brakebeam may be raised and lowered upon swin of the levers, gravitycontrolled means ten ing to swing said levers toward vertical positionto hold the brake beam upwardly to 'frictionally receive the'brake shoeof an approaching car, and means operable from a distance for movingsaid levers .to

inclined-position to' retain the brake beaig 1 'below the path of saidbrake shoes' 8. In a pleasure railway system, the com blnation of asupporting structure comprisingmcross ties and rails supported thereon,3,

am' extending parallel with said rails and suspended from said crossties, links pivoted to said beam and extending upwardlytherefrom, abrakebeam to which the upper ends of. said links are pivoted,-

and means for eifect-ing. longitudinal movement of said brake beam andthereby verti-' cal adjustment thereof as said links swing,

thereby to adjust said brake .beam with reference to suitablebrake:shoes c'arried by ears travelingon said rails.

, 9. In a pleasure railway system, the combination of a supp rtingstructure comprisingcrosstxes and rails supported thereon, a

' beam extending parallel .with said rails and i suspended. from saidcross ties, links pivoted to said beamand extending upwardly there from,a brake'beain to which the upper ends of said linksiare pivoted, andmeans for efiecting longitudinal movement of said brake beam and'therebyvertical. adjustment thereof as said links swing, thereb' to adjust saidbrake :beam w th reference to suitable brake shoes carried by carstraveling on said rails, said link supportin beam being verticallyadjustable whereby urther adjustment can be effected for said brakebeam.

10. In a pleasure railway system, the combination of a track structurecomprising cross ties and rails supported thereon, a supporting beamsuspended from said cross tie and extending parallel with said rails,

links pivoted to said supporting beam and .extending upwardly therefrom,a brake means. controlled from a distance for sWing-' ing said weightedlever to effect lowering of said brake beam.

In witness'whereofil hereunto subscribe my name this th day of January,A. D.,

' JOHN A. MILLER.

Witnesses:

Crmnnns J SCHMIDT, Narnia BPDEARBORN,

